Miss. residents can now schedule 2nd dose vaccine appointments

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Health officials are picking up the pace to get more Mississippians vaccinated.

Residents can now schedule their second appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine immediately after receiving their first dose.

The Mississippi State Department of Health announced this change on Thursday.

Patients were having to wait at least two weeks before scheduling an appointment for the second dose.

Appointments are available through the online system or by telephone (1-877-978-6453).

These changes come as Gov. Tate Reeves continues his push to ramp up the vaccination rate.

The governor says a significant rise will start next week. He wants 100,000 doses of the vaccine to be administered every week starting in February.

Currently, the state only receives 37,000 doses of the vaccine a week.

It’s unclear if those doses will rise, but the Mississippi State Department of Health said an announcement will be made on Friday about the COVID-19 vaccine availability.

The press conference is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

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